


Superhero AU

by aquawawi



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M, but not xray and vav, forgive me for i am sinning, ok sort of, superhero au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-03-31 14:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3981904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquawawi/pseuds/aquawawi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael's a journalist and there's this one hero who keeps flirting with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Property Damage

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in a class once and fixed it up now i am invested in this damn.
> 
> mavin superhero AU with side raywood and Various Others. what direction will this fic go? i have no idea!

“So, what do you think?” Vav asked with a cocky grin and a voice hiding some accent.

“I think you’ve caused a huge amount of property damage.” Michael replied as he jotted down on his notepad.

“Aw c’mon I stopped the kid!”

“He’s kind of right.” Doll said with a smirk. “And you did kind of hurt him unnecessarily.”

Vav pouted. “You saw him, if I didn’t knock him onto the bars then he would’ve torn down the prison.”

“If you didn’t knock him onto the bars we wouldn’t have to spend the second half of our day rounding up prisoners.” Doll reminded and Michael wrote that down too. “Michael thanks for being such a patient sweetheart of a journalist but we have to go head back.”

Michael shrugged, eyes still fixed on his notes and still finalizing it. “No problem, thanks for being the more sensible of the two.” He teased. “And thanks for actually answering my questions.”

“Hey!” Vav complained as Doll giggled.

“Thanks Michael, again.” Doll said as she shifted into a red cheetah and Vav sped away to match Doll’s speed and leaving Michael on a long bike ride back to the office.

Vav and Doll, one of the heroes of this city, just took down a kid who recently discovered his omniscient-psychic-kinda-freaky abilities and freaked out about it and Michael was _immediately_ sent over to interview the duo after they were done. Vav’s story checks out and so did Doll’s, where Vav, the speedy little bastard, knocked the kid out against the prison bars. The force was so strong, the bars broke and the prisoners all got out and would’ve beat the daylights out of Vav (or they’d try their hardest) if Doll hadn’t caught up and changed into a fucking elephant in the prison halls and threatened to crush all of those prisoners. Some got back in their cell obediently but the craftier ones were harder to find, and they almost lost them too.

At the end of the day it was all alright, the kid’s in a solitary confinement with a therapist and Vav and Doll are helping in rebuilding the jail block they (Vav) damaged.

Michael has to admit, as glad he is that they got these two as some of the protectors of this city are or whatever, it could do with a little less of Vav’s persistent flirting.

He arrived at his floor and Ryan was one of the first person to greet him from his own cubicle as he plopped down his chair. “So how’d it go?” Ryan asked, as if the asshole doesn’t know.

“You know him-”

“I don’t actually.” Right, he’s always cooped up in the office, being one of the website contributors, all Ryan does is post the articles online, proofread about 100 articles and fix the internet whenever it’s down (all he does is plug it in and out then turn it on and off and tilt the modem a little so it looks like he’s done something more impressive). “You have a spelling mistake on your 3rd article by the way.”

“Shit.” That was a good one, man fell down sewer, and his mouth fell on a discarded, probably week old subway then accidentally swallowed it and ended up fine, doctors baffled.

“Don’t worry, I fixed it.”

“Of course you did. Thanks.”

“No problem.” And as he said this, his phone buzzed and Ryan immediately opened his phone to reply, Michael smirked.

“And who’s that Ryan?”

“Ah you’ve never met him.”

“I have met him!”

“What? Oh! Right, right.” Ryan blushed at the memory of Ray suddenly at work to bring Ryan some lunch. Ryan put his phone to his chest, closed for now. “Hey, we’re gonna go grab dinner, you wanna join us? Barb’s probably coming.”

“Are you…” Michael said slowly and Ryan tried his best to hide the exasperated look on his face. “Gonna pay… for all our meals orrrr…”

“Yes so don’t expect anything good.”

“Alright, _sweet_ , definitely coming.” Michael finally opened his word file, typing his notes in. “Just let me grab some coffee before we go.”

“You can afford Starbucks, but not McDonalds.” Ryan swiveled back to his computer and gave him a pointed side glance.

“I never said I can’t afford both of those. And you expect me to drink McDonald coffee? No one drinks from those McDonalds coffees anymore, remember the lady who got like, what, first? Third? Some really nasty burn?”

* * *

Gavin couldn’t believe his luck.

He had to literally rush even more to get Meg back to start a late shift in the advertising company and Gavin managed to take a detour to his house in the southern region of the city and got in his shift just on time, by riding the bus, like a normal human being that doesn’t whiz at the speed of a boundary he doesn't even know yet and rattle windows and car alarms and everything in general, with only a slightly messier than usual shirt. Then an hour into his shift, it’s that journalist.

Lindsay grinned when she saw him and gave him a high-five over the counter. “You being here means you’re mooching off someone for dinner.”

“How’d you know?” Michael asked as Lindsay’s grin stayed while he went to jostle his messenger bag so that the bag is in front of him.

“Michael please, a magician never tells her secrets.”

“That sounded so suspicious.”

Lindsay rolled her eyes then looked at the door that had about 3 high school students walk past it and Lindsay flashed a look of disdain that only Michael caught. “Damn, I gotta deal with them, uh… here, Gav!”

“What?” Gavin almost squawked, caught off guard.

“Can you make Michael’s order?” She asked with a knowing grin. “You know those three, they’re kinda rowdy.”

No, in fact, he doesn’t know those three but who cares. He certainly doesn't care. This was it, this was his chance, to even talk to Michael off work and off mask and off everything else, _don’t fuck this up Free, don’t, fuck, this, up._

“Don’t fuck this up.” He whispered under his breath which earned him an amused look from Lindsay. FUCK. “Uh, I mean, y-yeah sure!”

Lindsay smiled as Gavin went to Michael, peering over the counter. “Is this your first day?” Michael asked before Gavin could ask for his order.

“Well, not as a barista, but it’s my first week here.” Gavin said, trying to sound as casual about it as possible as he grabbed a cup and a sharpie. And it’s certainly not a lie, the last place burned down and it wasn’t his fault. He would’ve been jobless if Lindsay hadn’t stepped in.

“Huh, makes sense, no wonder I never saw you around. I’m Michael.” He introduced and _you dunce I already knew that but I can’t say it arrgghhh_.

“I’m Gavin.”

“Pleased to meet you man, I’m gonna assume you don’t know my usual order.”

“Nah you’re gonna have to walk me through it.”

Michael let out a small laugh and _holy tit it’s cute_. “Can I have a latte that’s 50 percent coffee and 50 percent froth?”

Gavin nodded and wrote it down neatly. “Warm or cold?”

“Warm’s good.”

“Do you want any syrup with that?”

Michael hummed, deep in thought. “I think I’ll try a syrup, I don’t know what flavor to try though, what do you think?”

“Well… I think hazelnut would be good for this, ‘bout two pumps.”

“Alright, I’ll have that then.” Michael smiled at him and Gavin had to fight the urge to just grin really wide.

“Gotcha, gimme a second then.” Gavin got to work after that and Lindsay joined him soon enough with 3 cups of her own, that knowing look still on her. “You little devil.”

“Admit it, you’re glad you saw him.”

“Yes but-!” Gavin caught his own rising voice as Lindsay controlled the other machine to brew the coffee and Gavin had to control it himself by hand. Not mind, the lucky bastard.

“You’re fine, you’re fine, definitely cleaner than when you clocked in.” Lindsay gave a dismissive wave and Gavin gave her a gaze. “But I’m right, right?”

“Ugh I hate it when you’re right, you get his look and…” And she was giving him that look, lips in a wide tight smile that makes her eyes ended up crinkling. “That’s the look.”

Eventually he sealed the cup and gave it to Michael in the sleeve. “Nice.” Michael said. “That should be… Boom, $3.65.”

“Right-o.” Gavin took the $5 but Michael was already at the door, outside of it waiting for him is a taller blonde man (he waved inside, but Gavin couldn't see to who), a guy he couldn’t really see in a purple hoodie and a pretty blonde woman in a warm toned outfit covered by a light brown coat.

“Just keep the change.” He called out and left with a, “Well Gav, see you around!”

“Bye!” Gavin shouted back, equally as loud and he turned around to see Lindsay grinning, who was already done with the three high school girls and she gave them a high five too, probably for conspiring with her to let Gavin be Michael’s barista.

 _“You’re right, I did and those girls are actually very sweet if you’ve been paying attention for the past two weeks.”_ Lindsay stated, washing her hands.

“God I can’t think anything with you around.” Lindsay’s a telepath, much like that child he took down just this noon, yet her range is more limited, from lack of use he’d have to guess. And to an extent, Lindsay’s able to hear other’s thoughts and speak to them. Probably how she heard Michael coming, or asked the girls to distract her. She can’t control minds though, that’s a whole other thing. “Wait…”

“What?”

“I forgot to ask his number!” Gavin realized.

“Oh noooo…” Lindsay said in faux fear as she threw her hands up in the air, shaking it slightly. “Whatever will you doooo…” She said as she picked up her phone, arms still in the air and shaking it.

“Thank fuck you have it.”

Lindsay chuckled. “Even if I didn’t he’ll probably come in tomorrow, or whenever his coworkers treat him to a meal, which is often.”

Gavin let out a silent _‘yesss’_ , pumping his fist down low until another customer came over.

* * *

How Ryan manages to make McDonalds a good dining experience is unknown but he does, with a constant stream of _wacky_ conversations (Ray’s words, not his and Ray  couldn't believe he said something like wacky) about a bigass range of topics.

They’re sitting on a square table, Michael’s sitting across Ryan who would occasionally glance to Ray with a look that suggests Ray’s made of sunshine and stardust and other nice things that preferably starts with other letters of the alphabet, they’re journalists, gotta keep their vocabulary _constantly_ colorful. Except for Barbara, she’s more of Gus’ assistant, and Gus is more of the guy who deals with the advertisements and their spot in their paper and website. Still, he’s pretty sure she’d best all of them when it comes to words.

It’s a conversation about Ray’s cats, Percival and Pat, and how his apartment landlord can’t charge him since they technically don’t live with Ray. It’s clever, and Ray can use his own ability to see when the landlord’s gonna march up to him and demand he pay a fine because Pat probably mewled and he heard it. Or when it’s the landlady and he should relax because she probably wants to play with the kitty too but her husband won’t let her because he’s worried the fur will cause infertility in the fragile moments of pregnancy.

“It’s not of course, it’s the worms in the litter box, he’s a paranoid man.” Ray said as he went for another fry and Ryan picked another one before dipping it in his ice cream. “Since I don’t have a litter box she’ll be fine.”

“I dunno Ray, I love Pat and Percival but you don’t know where they've been.” Ryan noted with a twinge of worry that made Ray’s face soften. “Isn't there anything you can do?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. There’s a vaccine shot for strays for another disease they can take but it’s kinda pricey.”

“I can help with that, that’ll make them like… our cats?” Ryan tried but all it did was give Ray a muffled laugh. The next noise he made was a splutter. “Because… we’re taking care of it together? And maybe we can wash them together?”

“So basically you wanna adopt my kids.” Ray teased. “Take them as your own, didn’t know that’s how you see parenting Ryan.” Ryan was just flustered now and Ray continued to smile and tease him that Michael mostly muted out to enjoy ‘how fucking good this shitty burger is’ and ‘God he’s gonna die if he keeps mooching off Ryan because the man buys him nothing but cheap stuff he’d eat once in a while’ until the subject of Ray’s power came up.

“It’s not that interesting, all I can do is see through walls and skin, depends on the layer of… whatever I’m seeing without it.”

“So… X- _Ray_ vision… right?” Barbara deadpanned and Michael whispered a _‘For fuck’s sake Barb.’_

“I actually haven’t heard that in a while. Probably because everyone knows I've probably heard it before.” He said, trying to hide the bile in his voice.

“I really, really, _really¸_ couldn't resist, I mean, it just provides that opportunity.” She explained. “It’s an old and a shitty one but I gotta do it Ray. Gotta seize the pun.”

Ray laughed lightly at Barbara. “There are some limitations, like I shouldn't move if I’m in x-ray vision, I might hit a wall. Or if the wall’s really, _really_ thick I won’t be able to see through it. Too long and it starts giving me a headache.”

“So you don’t use it often?”

“Nah not really.”

Michael’s phone buzzed silently in his pocket as the three started a conversation about games. He vaguely heard Barbara’s vague, politician-esque reply on their question of whether she prefers to play PC or console and a vague description of what it looks like. Michael thinks its best they don’t know what her and her boyfriend’s gaming area looks like, they’d probably beg her to let them crash in her place (like he tried to do once, not that he’d admit it).

**Unknown:** _sorry if this is weird but i asked Lindsay for your number because i forgot to ask  
_ **Unknown:** _its Gavin by the way_

Michael almost slapped himself. _Shit_ , he did forget, since when he was about to pay, he glanced out to see that his two coworkers and could-have-been-neighbor-when-they-were-both-younger were already waiting for him outside and he was so caught up in trying to look cool in front of this new cute British barista that seeing his friends outside threw him off his façade that he rushed the fuck out of there looking like he just competed in a triathlon.

**Michael:** _FUCK_  
**Michael:** _i am so so sorry i forgot  
_ **Michael:** _also its ok its not weird its kind of my fault for forgetting_

He added Gavin’s number quickly and saw that he had replied.

 **Gavin:** _:D! (_ FUCK, again)  
**Gavin:** _so whats up?_  
**Michael:** _im out at mcdonalds, dinner with coworkers_  
**Gavin:** _oops didn’t mean to intrude, talk to you later?_  
**Michael:** _what no nonono its fine_  
**Michael:** _theyre talking about games now_  
**Gavin:** _oh i love gaves!_  
**Gavin:** _damn it i wasn’t looking *games_  
**Michael:** _aw shit me too do you play a lot or not_  
**Gavin:** _yesss_  
**Gavin:** _not that im any good in anything other than Halo_  
**Michael:** _really? thats cool im actually really bad at halo  
_**Gavin:** _all the more reason to play together then right?_

“Michael, you alright? You look like someone insulted your mom.” Barbara asked with a jab to his rib and watched Michael struggled against gravity as he tried to grip his phone. Insulted your mom is way off the mark, but it’s probably the same shock and redness but with less of the anger and more of the uncharacteristic cheerfulness.

“Who’re you texting anyway?” Ray tried to peer over as Michael instinctually closed his phone close to his chest. “Nah never mind I can just see from here.”

“Wait, what, no, no you can’t do that.” Michael said, vigorously shaking his head. “Right?”

“I’m just bluffing, but you have been pretty quiet.” Ray smirked as he went back to his original position. “Who’s that?”

“It’s probably that guy Michael was sticking around for when we were picking him up.” The way Ryan said it made it sound like he was in school and was picking up his son who refused to go home because he just talked to his new friend and they just started even thinking about hanging out on the weekends or afterschool. “All I have to do is ask Lindsay who he is, I can probably do that tonight.”

“Dude butt out.” Michael gave a small hand gesture, as if he’s swatting Ryan away. “Ok so yeah, that guy was kinda cute and I’m kinda blindsided but I’m sorting this shit out myself, ok, you don’t see me tryna make you and Ray do more stuff together.”

“Alright, alright fine.” Ryan threw him a pair of his hands raised near his head. “Just confirming if it was really him, we got the stuff we wanted to know.”

“Nice.” Ray complimented with a grin of his own, which Ryan returned and Michael grumbled over the fact they got at least something.

He left for home first, parting ways after 10 more minutes of conversation which he managed to steer away from Gavin, arriving 30 minutes later and its well past 9 by then. He considered working on some drafts for the night but the thought quickly faded away when he hit his bed, too awake to sleep for the next 2 hours, he couldn’t text Gavin, he found that the other was an early sleeper who fell asleep while Michael was on his way home and he cursed the other three back there but some things happen for a reason.

He’s too lazy and strained to move for his laptop. And eventually sleep got the best of him, the same way it gets everyone eventually.

* * *

In the thick of night, no one could hear the two making their nimble, silent movement of finesse-

“Watch it!” One of them hissed as she grabbed him by the strap, stopping him in his movement. “I’ll deal with it, remember?”

“Oops.” He replied, far too casually as she rolled her eyes behind her own mask as she went to his backpack, to grab the tools she needed.

“We need to go for tools next,” She decided as she got the glass cutter, unideal for this glass she realized, and the brush with the suction cup she nabbed from some lady when she passed by her in Ikea. “We’re professionals damn it, and we’re using discount toys.”

“It doesn’t matter _how_ we do it, all that matters is how it looks like in the end.” He closed his bag, tightening it and making it deflate a little.

“What? No, no techniques’ important man.” She replied as she started to cut the glass with the cutter and she had to suppress her sigh. This is gonna be a _long_ night.

“In our profession does it even matter how we do shit? There’s no right or wrong in whatever the fuck it is we do. We just steal shit.”

 She gritted her teeth. “You don’t get it! You-” She wiggled her fingers to try to calm down when she realized he was sniggering at her. “Don’t know what it feels like when things run smoothly.”

“How smooth?” He asked.

“Dude so smooth like, powdered baby ass smooth.”

“Or as smooth as what I said the other day.”

“That was so smooth.” She gestured for him to get the bag to her and he turned around, crouching so she can open the bag while still in her position. She didn’t nab just one of those wall clinging brushes, no, she just had to get the other 3 colors. “God someone should’ve called 911, that girl had a nasty burn.”

“You’re fucking weird you know that?” She stopped for a while to look at her partner, who was still as unnaturally chill as ever. “Like, I know that, but I’m just now realizing that.”

“Like you aren’t, you giant fucking nerd.”

“You’re just as nerdy. I’d even say even more than I myself.” She fished out the brushes and he turned around, carefully putting the brushes on a segment of the glass.

She scoffed. “Impossible. Also no, do it right damn it, put it there, where I’m pointing, unless you’re blind and can’t see this whole time and your real superpower is echolocation.” She pointed just a few inches to his hand’s left. “Oh man.” She sighed as he placed down the brush.

“What?” He asked as he aligned the other one with the one he placed down, knowing just how much she likes the symmetry.

“I thought it before, and I said it on our way here.” She said as she aligned her own brushes with the ones already down. “But it’s gonna be a damn long night.” She said, gesturing at all the other glass cases.

“We better get to work then.”


	2. Damage, Again, but this time its personal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this fanfic is very aimless and im sorry in advance but hey finals are over. and two fanfics in one day im hauling a s s  
> Sorry if this looks bad? But hopefully some fluff before the plot thickens

"Sho, whap's up bitchefs?" Michael sounded so muffled by his sandwich but he doesn't care as he swallowed and took another bite.

“Oh, Michael, alright good you're perfect." It was Jack, someone he wished he saw more, he's a great guy and Geoff saw potential in that, promoted him to lead their paper's new video features on their website. "Kdin's sick so you'll have to operate the camera."

"Whoa, what, why me?" Michael asked, swallowing. "I mean, not complaining but literally everyone is better at it than me."

"Everyone's busy with the museum story." Jack shrugged. "Besides we're live filming the heroes today, and who better to ask than the person who's probably neck deep in that?"

Michael rolled his eyes but couldn't really stay mad at Jack. "Alright fine, I'll meet you downstairs." Jack gave him a smile where his eyes closed and waved as he walked towards the elevator. Michael dumped his bag on his chair before going through it to get his phone and wallet and headed for the elevator himself.

They don’t have a news van. There’s a pick-up truck that Geoff and Gus both bought and everyone chips in their share of gas money. Geoff wants a cool sticker decal but Gus wants to keep their paper professional and Geoff wanted “Those cool flame things you know.” To which Gus would always say no.

He was at the back, setting up the camera and preparing the feed, making sure they’ll be streaming live to their website while Jack’s on call with Ryan, with him telling them their internet’s fine don’t worry it’ll be cleaner than a car out of a carwash.

Downtown was chaotic as hell, with most of the heroes fighting someone referred to only as Marion (short for marionette or something, no one even knows but Michael prefers to call him Dummy), a dramatic, over-the-top man with a terrifying ability to control people physically. Too bad- no it’s a good thing-he’s a fucking  _idiot_.

But maybe he’s on to something here when a whiz of blue and red comes barreling and screaming down the street and hits every car imaginable, including theirs before continuing.

“Was that Vav?” Jack asked as a woman in black and gold flew past on a yellow platform.

“And that’s probably Fort. If it’s Dum- uh, Marion, he can’t be too far away.”

“Then we’re at the right spot.” Jack said as he parked the van on the side of the road and got out as Michael sent the Geoff the message they're ready and brought out the video camera.

He followed Jack, trying to be as steady and not shaky-action-movie as he can. Jack's narrating but Michael can't really hear over the car alarms and the distant sound of Dummy making Vav ram into cars and buildings at terminal velocity.

==

 _'MAKE IT STOP._ ' Gavin's practically screaming as he's forcing every cell in his body to sit the fuck down.

 _'Oh sweetie, hang on tight alright, he's pesky.'_ Griffon tried to calm him but he saw her backing up go make more launch-able projectiles and Gavin mentally screamed at the thought of Griffon's energy blasts socking him in the jaws again. _'If you can figure out what he wants he'll probably make Gav crash there.'_ Griffon suggested as she's still running towards Joel, with a mix of levitating on a pad to avoid Gavin.

 _'A man like Joel? It’s probably money.'_ Meg mentioned. _'I don't see a bank but I see a jewelry store.'_

_'Protect it, Lindsay, can you do something about Joel? You can break our link for a while.'_

And just like that, a little bump in his mind disappeared where Lindsay broke off their communication link, but there’s still the bump where Heyman’s own psychic control is controlling his shitty fucking limbs. How’d he even get out this time? His range is good sure, but he’s limited to controlling one man at a time. The time he smashed that Caleb kid and broke the prison comes into mind and damn maybe he shouldn’t have done that.

Then suddenly it’s gone, and his legs turn to jello and he’s flung to the hood of some car. When he opens his eyes he sees himself and rings of black.

“You alright?” And bollocks it’s Michael behind the camera and he turned it away to face the park. Gavin got up a little too fast but Michael grabbed him by the forearm and sorta just casually pushed him to lean on the car. “It looked bad man.”

“I’ll live.” Gavin groaned as his rib throbbed.

“Alright, whatever uh, take care or something.” Michael then ran off in the direction of the fight trailed by a man with a beard carrying a mic.

 _‘Mind link’s back?’_ Meg asked.

 _'Yep, go ahead Meg.'_ Griffon urged

_‘_ _Whoa okay it is.’_

_‘Lindsay you brilliant bastard. I know you can’t talk back like this but good job Linds.’_ Griffon complimented and he’s pretty sure he heard Lindsay’s strained _‘yay’_ , _‘Now if only we can get Burnie here.’_

 _‘That’s overkill.’_ Gavin sounded just as bad in his mind as he thought he would.

 _‘Need some help Gav?’_ Griffon asked.

 _‘I’ll be fine, I’ll try to keep up.’_ And that’s when he heard a lion roar and a yelp and Gavin knew that’s when the battle was over. Lindsay’s won the psychic standoff with Joel and the man goes to prison in Meg’s lion-y maw.

“Jesus Gavin you look like shit.” Griffon said as she lowered her platform to his level and helped the speedster get up.

“He just, rammed me to so many cars.” He’s feeling this for months probably, he’s super-fast and maybe his body’s a little stronger but he’s not super strong or anything.

Griffon offered him a sympathetic smile before making the platform have walls he could lie on and sit down in so that their new mode of transport is similar to a flying mine cart. He peered over it as they flew sometimes and could see they’re in the general direction of his apartment despite being so high up and ended up sighing at the thought of a bed.

“Sorry I didn’t do much Grif.” Gavin didn’t really sound like he meant it, but he did, he really does, he just sounds tired and pretty much half dead right now.

“Its fine, Joel had some sense in picking you to control.”

“Damn right he did. I’m brillia- ow, ow, ow.”

“Alright kiddo no jokes now.” Griffon said as they descended relatively fast, just so no one really saw them. Griffon dissipated the cart and the mask she had on and had Gavin hobble down the stairs silently to his floor on the 10th floor and Gavin’s just fumbling for his keys in his jacket pocket before Griffon decided to project a shape that’ll fit his keyhole and he uttered a weak thank you and she dumped him on his bed. “Alright kid, I gotta get back to work, babe still thinks I’m there.”

“I think he knows you’re Fort by now.” Gavin teased weakly.

“Hey I founded that place _before_ I became a hero.” Griffon said pointedly as she went out the doorway. “You have your keys right? I’m locking from the outside.”

“Yep, in my jacket, I’ll get it eventually.”

“Okay? You want me to preheat food Gav? Oh you have my number right? Or Lindsay’s? Call if anything’s wrong.”

“I’ll be fine mom I just need some sleeeep…” Gavin whined and Griffon snickered before uttering a bye and went out the door and he heard it lock. Based on experience, its awful falling asleep in his hero clothes, so Gavin pulled up his mask and jacket and lazily kicked his pants and boots. It’s when his jacket it on the ground that Gavin realizes someone’s probably calling him, texting him, whatever. All that matters to him now is getting some rest.

==

After a small break, Michael’s back to his chair, buzzing from adrenaline and ended up spinning in his chair while Ryan pays absolutely no heed. Well that’s unacceptable, not even a “Hey Michael.” or a “Not bad with the camera today.” or his personal favorite “You need to pay more attention I can’t proofread for you all the time.” Just a pout and a drone of typing and Michael’s moment of basking is gone as fast as it came.

“You look pissed off.” Michael said leaning into his chair. “Wanna talk about it buddy?”

“Ray’s out of town. His dad’s sick.”

“That’s not too bad, he’ll be back soon right?”

“Well yeah but he sort of entrusted me with Pat and Percy for the week…” Ryan awkwardly scratched his nape as he lied his head down. “And Edgar’s a little too excited at them and he’s been barking for the last 2 days.” And it’s only then does Michael see the bags under Ryan’s eyes.

“You didn’t try anything?”

“I did! On the first night, I put Pat and Percy on the living room with the door open because Edgar can’t stay still at night but they ended up screaming to each other because Ray’s cats want to sleep on the bed.” Ryan ran a hand through his hair as he continued his story. “Then on the second night I put Edgar in my room but then he took a massive dump in protest.”

Barbara walked past, pushing a cart of letters just as Ryan said it. “Holy shit?” She said as she stopped and rustled the mails.

Ryan seem to hiss. “Not right now Barbara.”

She gave a Cheshire smile before handing Ryan a bunch of letters and Michael like one single letter from his parents and that was the start of how Michael’s afternoon turned to one of helping Ryan sort out Geoff’s paperwork.

==

“Lindsay I’m fine you don’t have to come over.”

 _“You’re in the same spot you’ve been all morning long! Gavin did you even eat breakfast?”_ And Gavin could only wince because yes after he woke up he is literally unable to get up and whoops he forgot breakfast. _“I knew it. You know for a fact you of all people need a whole lot more to compensate.”_

“Then I’ll go get something to eat, promise.”

 _“Liar. So I sent someone you_ can’t _say no to.”_ Gavin could imagine Lindsay’s smug smile.

“Griffon? Lindsay you know she’s bussyyyyyy….” His door knocked and Gavin sluggishly groaned as he got up and shuffled over the door. “If it’s Grif I’m telling her to go home.”

 _“Even_ if _it was her, she definitely wouldn’t go. And if it isn’t?”_

Gavin ignored that as he peered into the view hole and, no logical word can describe this, peeped like a newborn chick. “Why did you do that?” He whispered as Lindsay laughed.

 _“Gav? I can hear you y’know.”_ Michael’s voice was muffled by the door but Gavin could hear it loud and clear.

It took him another 3 second to open the door. “Michael! Its ok boy I’m fine.” He croaked. They’ve talked for a while in the not even a week since they met way, texting, some calls, and if Gavin remembers right, Saturday was their new game night.

Michael raised a brow at that. “Fine? You sound like you swallowed a steel wool or somethin’.” He said as he let himself in, jostling a duffle bag in the process.

“How’d you even get here? Why?”

Michael shushed gently, jokingly but with the right mind, Gavin does sound like shit. “Lindsay told me where to go. Said she was busy.” Busy her ARSE, they both bailed out today and in return they’ll work double time the next day. Lindsay’s probably faffing about at home soaking in the free time where she can physically move. She doesn’t even have to move to get the things in her apartment. Speaking of which, he checked his phone, and the psychic had finished her call and sent him a text.

**Linds:** _> ;3c_

He’s going to get that fucker he swears. But in the meantime, Michael had coerced him into sitting on the couch and handed him the remote while the journalist hangs around his kitchen and by the looks of it is making him a fruity assortment of oatmeal (“Lindsay told me to do it I swear” he heard Michael say before he began). And at that moment as the TV showed some loud rerun of the Woody Woodpecker show, Gavin saw his hero outfit still in the open of his room.

He rushed in and rearranged everything, as achey as it is to move, as he saw fit, meaning his outfit’s dumped under his bed and he sat back down with Michael only noting it as “Well that was some fucking breeze” As he closed the window before sitting down next to Gavin with the oatmeal and grabbed a reasonable amount with the spoon and Gavin, without thinking, opened his mouth.

“No wait I’ll do the rest.” Gavin protested after swallowing as Michael laughed and shook his head.

“Gav you sure you should go to work tomorrow?” He asked quizzically as he prepared another spoonful.

“I have to, Linds and I aren’t at work today, boss wants us to work double time tomorrow.” Gavin shrugged.

“You mean she wasn’t at work at all today?” Oh. Damn, guess Michael didn’t know.

“Well on the bright side, we got to hang together.” Gavin grinned and Michael returned with a beaming smile too before breakfast at supper continued. “What’s that bag for?”

Michael shrugged. “Probably won’t need it but in case you don’t get better by like, 7. Uh, hope you don’t mind.” Gavin’s response was probably too spirited for someone so tired, and shaking his head gave him a headache.

He’s getting dozier as the day progressed and the TV channels flip around when the cartoons end and Michael looks for other channels that play other cartoons or the same ones but different episodes. Gavin’s eating by himself by now, but Michael made him a cheese omelet for additional supplement and it’s probably the best thing he ever had while telling Gavin him about _the shit his coworkers get into_ like a bed time story. He fell asleep before Gavin did though, on the couch leaning back and Gavin thought he was just taking a break from talking but heard soft snores.

He got up to get Michael a blanket but it jolted him awake (“ _hWUH Wh what the shit”_ ) and Michael bolted upright. “No, no, no, Gav you don’t have to.” His said sleepily.

“I’m fine now!” Gavin protested as Michael groggily grumbled and gently pushed Gavin into his bed in an attempt to make him go to sleep. “Michael I’ll get there!”

“ _Micool!_ ” He mocked as Gavin got on his bed himself and Michael ended up falling face first next to him “Nice bed jackass.” He mumbled into the pillow.

“Thank you?” Gavin snickered and Michael hummed a response as Gavin curled up under the bed’s blanket while Michael still laid face first on the bed and fell back to sleep.  Eventually he fell asleep in what he can probably the most amusing sleepover of his adult life.

==

The next morning he heard the soft sound of a TV news reporter, a sound he’s heard almost consistently throughout his life and what smelled like toast in a toaster.

Wait he ran out of bread. And he doesn’t have a toaster. He knows what they smell like, he just doesn’t have his own.

Gavin walked out of his room to see the curtains open and Michael making breakfast and he’s right there’s toast and it’s burning in a pan. Michael seemed busy, but he acknowledged the fact Gavin was awake and whistled as a greeting. “Where’d you get toast?”

“I kinda wanted a snack but I saw you didn’t have bread so I bought some. Lindsay said you liked bread? A lot of bread, so I bought some too.” No he doesn’t like _like_ bread, they’re just the best source of carbohydrate for him to burn when he’s on the run. Michael probably listened to Lindsay and bout him 2 loafs of sliced bread, one opened and one still in the plastic bag.

“Thanks boi.”

“Yeah boy.” Michael nodded as he flipped the toasts, one of it charred beyond belief and the other slightly toasted. “I gotta be honest, I didn’t know where I woke up but I saw you so I climbed out really quiet.”

Something snapped its fingers in Gavin’s mind, probably a mini Gavin remembering something. “What time is it?” He asked , but before Michael could reply Gavin looked up to check on the clock. Its 9:08, work starts at 10. “Damn it!”

Michael looked up to see the time and was just as shocked. “Shit I forgot.” He hissed before turning off the stove and slid the toast to different plates. The charred one was Michael’s and he slathered it with a gracious amount of butter while Gavin folded his in half and filled it with cheese. “You good enough to work?”

“Definitely, it gets boring staying home all day.” Gavin explained through bites of sandwich. “Do you mind me showering first?”

“No, no, nah, my work’s at 11, I got time, I’ll just clean up a bit.” He insisted and Gavin didn’t argue since Michael seemed stubborn enough to be like that. Gavin hopped in and out of the shower fairly quick and by then Michael was almost done and Gavin cleaned up too, he didn’t bother with bed but that was the only thing he didn’t clean. While picking a clean pair of clothes, he noted that the bruises from tossing about like a salad had bruised just about every bit of his chest, black blotches like some nasty ruined potato and winced before he heard buzzing. His phone was still in his suit’s pocket and when he found it, Gavin winced and called the person who’s been calling him like a mother calling her child.

“Hello?” Gavin said reluctantly when Burnie finally picked up.

 _“Gavin you piece of- Where have you been!”_ Burnie shouted immediately.

“I left my phone in my jacket!”

He heard Burnie sigh. _“Fine, whatever, what’s done is done. Next time keep your phone in hand. Look you don’t have to go to work today, kinda need you for something else anyway.”_ Burnie took Gavin’s silence as a chance to elaborate. _“Got some tip that some lab is moving some experimental tech, need you, me, Lindsay and Griffon to watch over it, I’ll explain later but we gotta move now.”_

Gavin moaned and pouted. “But Burnie my rent!” It’s not a fabulous life being a hero, for one thing its unpaid and Gavin couldn’t do anything else either.

_“Do this and I’ll give you a raise you cheap bastard.”_

“Deal.” Gavin grinned as Burnie gave him _“Okay”_ and _“Alright”_ and hung up with _“Don’t be late”_

“What was that all about?” He heard Michael, hair still kinda wet but face definitely fresher.

“I’m getting a raise.” Gavin grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry joel i feel that he was probably improvising on the fly what he should call himself please believe me he gets better


	3. Double Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is probably just a short action-y thing not really a relationship-y thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if this chapter seems kinda??? nonsensical i'm all tuckered out from school and fasting but the good news is: school's almost over so that means more sleeping and coping with fasting haha

 

_“What happened back there!?” Lindsay asked as she drove the car away from the scene of the attack. Griffon’s in the back wincing, Burnie by her side trying his best to be alright for his friend, and Gavin’s in the front in the passenger seat._

_“We got got.” Burnie said before Griffon shuffled and Burnie tried to calm her down and hushed her._

* * *

“They’re not really gonna have anything happen to it right?” Gavin asked.

Gavin was running side by side to a truck, moving parallel to its speed, which wasn’t that fast. Griffon and Burnie were with him too, but Burnie was riding on a platform with Griffon, being a lookout. They were moving to a remote lab, which was hidden somewhere within the fields of wheat. They’re moving some experimental tech, and got a tip that some people would be going after it.

 _“We don’t know, source of the attack was shady as hell, so keep your eyes peeled.”_ Burnie scolded. _“Seriously man, this stuff could be dangerous in the wrong hands.”_

 _“Can’t we know what it is?”_ Griffon asked.

_“I’d like to, it’ll help our mission, but I can’t. If Lindsay was here things will be different.”_

_“Yeah where is she anyway?”_

“Oh!” Gavin recalled as he unzipped his jacket and took out his phone. “One of her cats started giving birth and I think she panicked.”

 _“That makes no sense! Cats can handle their own shit.”_ Gavin could imagine Burnie’s face contorted in a look of confusion.

“She said ‘There’s blood everywhere. On my couch and my wardrobe oh god.’” He recited after opening and closing his pocket after putting his phone back.

 _“Oh damn, that’s nasty, she didn’t prepare did she?”_ Griffon winced

“She sent me a picture too.”

 _“Guys wait.”_ Burnie hushed. _“I hear something.”_

_“Well yeah, us.”_

Gavin heard an odd noise and turned. “I heard something but I heard nothing.” He said without thinking and Burnie and Griffon ended up laughing.

 _“What does that mean!?”_ Burnie said between laughs and Griffon let out her own harmonious sound of joy.

“I mean… I’m serious damn it!”

_“So are we!”_

There was something forming above the truck as his mind slowed down for him to catch up with what he saw. It was a portal opening up and leading to a road, something like what he’d see off of Portal. “It’s a portal!”

 _“What?”_ Burnie had stopped laughing.

“I’m serious! I’m seeing one!”

 _“Like from Portal?”_ Griffon added.

“Yes like from Portal!” He saw a figure drop from the portal, dressed in a black hoodie and black pants save for a pair of red straps attached to a black backpack with red highlights, placed in an X shape. The person was probably male, face completely hidden in a mask with some of their hair showing, just as black. He tapped his head before the places where his eyes should be lit up in bright red and a thin laser began cutting through the truck and the portal closed. “He’s cutting through the truck!” Gavin reported as he sped up to match the truck’s speed and get the guy from the front of the truck.

_“Floor it Fort!”_

_“Maybe next time you should take your own vehicle.”_ Griffon grumbled and on the corner of Gavin’s eye he saw a yellow platform moving over the field.

Gavin hopped on the truck’s engine and up the trailer before tackling down the assailant down to the freeway.

He didn’t land in the freeway, he landed in the fields. The guy screamed a quick burst of “Ow , ow, ow”s before he saw, again, that he was disappearing.

 _“Where is he!?”_ Burnie shouted. _“Vav report, where are you?”_

“I’m… In the wheat field?”

 _“Maybe you’re better off there. I’m-”_ He heard Burnie grunt and a distant sound of Burnie breaking concrete somewhere, or asphalt in this case. Even without his earpiece, Gavin could hear the distant sound of Burnie’s frustrated yelling.

 _“He’s pissed off for sure, there’s probably two of them, one keeps making portals and the other would exit it and blast us with a laser.”_ Griffon explained. _“Portal source seems to come from the fields, see I you can find anything.”_

Gavin looked around, he’s pretty distant from where he was, but he sees faint traces and movements of light, Griffon’s projections and he remembers the general direction Burnie screamed from. He ran from there, taking note that the source of the light changes around, from field to field. He got to the main fight no problem, and he followed the source of light leading to another wheat field and saw a figure fall from it to hide in the fields.

He sped to the latest portal and caught the person who fell in and the figure was in all black as well, had a coat and a mask on and gloved hands. The person’s hair was long, and kept in low pigtails. And before he knew it, they were falling and falling through the sky and he was kicked away while the assailant disappeared into another portal and Gavin fell _right_ next to it. Gavin’s superfast, not super strong, and a fall like this ought to do the nastiest things to him.

He must’ve screamed because before hitting the ground he hit a giant, golden, translucent hand. _“That was close!”_ Griffon’s voice was much more audible on his earpiece than in front of him with all that wind flocking around him.

 _“Got us worried for a second there.”_ Burnie added along with a near silent grunt as he punched something again.

“I found the one faffing about with portals.” Gavin wobbled up to stand but Griffon patted his shoulder and he stayed seated as they both muttered ‘faffing’ confusedly. “They’re hiding in the fields.”

They heard Burnie wince in pain again as the invincible man tried to walk past one of the assailant’s laser vision, as it was growing stronger and brighter, more intense and probably more painful. _“Burnie get out of there!”_ Griffon warned but they didn’t hear Burnie through the earpiece, they heard him from the ground. _“His earpiece’s broken!”_

Griffon was low enough for Gavin to hop off and dash towards the Laser guy, but he didn’t catch the split second open portal that he ran inside of and ended up falling towards the ground again, only to return to the ground, heading for the laser. He caught himself and managed to slide under it, feeling the heat but cancelling it out with the wind his running caused.

He didn’t see the Laser guy losing his balance and hitting the truck from behind, he saw it from afar as he ran into another portal. The truck had exploded, Burnie no doubt in the middle of it, and Gavin was too far away, probably his furthest. He ran towards the street again, but by the time he’s there, Griffon was on the floor, wincing while Burnie was semi-freaking out.

“Gavin, she got hit fuck, fuck, _fuck_.” Burnie was careful, and Griffon had a piece of truck probably stuck to her appendix. “And they have the fucking tech too.”

“I’ll be fine.” Griffon groaned.

“Holy shit no you’re not!” Gavin took out his phone, calling Lindsay. “She’s gonna take too long!”

“Burnie she’s gonna be fine.” Gavin tried to reassure, his boss just cares that’s all, probably a little too much for Griffon and not enough for the rest of the team but Gavin gets it. She’s married to his best friend for Pete’s sake, Gavin could only imagine the backlash if Griffon got even worse than this.

“Yeah Burnie seriously I’ll be fine.” Griffon soothed as Gavin got up when Lindsay called.

* * *

The ride back was only bumpy for a while, but they definitely couldn’t bring Griffon in to a hospital.

Which is how they’re here, in Caleb’s house, the possible new recruit that Gavin and Meg smashed to a prison. No hard feelings of course, and the lad’s apparently learning in medical school training to be a nurse. Caleb lived in a flat with some mates, but they were out for the night, and talking to him less since the incident. But all in all, Caleb seems to be doing alright, better grip on his powers and definitely recovering better.

It didn’t take long for news of the theft got out, it caused a pretty big mess on that road some poor farmer finally found the smoke coming off from it. Their presence was covert, so no one knew of it, but the cops are certain that it was not the work of normal men.

“Burnie what’s in the case?” Gavin asked.

Burnie took another swig of his coffee. “Well we’re here now.” He looked around and ran a hand through his hair. “Those two we were fighting? The tech was based on them.”

Gavin’s face, an imprint of a silent gasp, only allowed Burnie to continue. “It was made _for_ them technically, one of the kids who the lab helped treated. One of it’s a portal gun and the other was a laser gun. But the lab kept it away when they started doing crime. That was years ago.”

“So they must’ve been tipped off about it.”

“Yeah, we don’t know who, but the lab was moving it away to a more secure location. Now that they have it, no one knows what they’re gonna do about it.”

Gavin looked aside to remember something. “You were in the lab right? Did you know them?”

“Nah, there was a whole bunch of people that lab worked on.” Burnie waved away before sinking back towards the couch.  “Kind of a shame, thought those kids would wanna be heroes.”

* * *

She examined the portal gun, not really a gun, more of a pair of gauntlets but it  _helps_ shoot out more portals so yeah alright she’ll take it she’ll call it a gun. But now she has more to worry about, not two, not three but four portals, open and active simultaneously. And she can move it now, portable portals, and these are generated portals so she doesn’t have to expend her own energy.

They were told they can keep the portal gun (gauntlet) which makes sense because her bosses can’t really get an advantage from it anyway. They kept the laser gun though, as well as patch up any injuries they sustained. They took a bunch of other stuff out of the case too, a nifty looking rapier and a rectangle they said was a high-tech sniper rifle.

Her partner was asleep in the car, arm gingerly over his chest as he snored without a care. She thinks he kind of deserves it, for fracturing his arm. “Get out asshole.” She said as she braked over his apartment.

He jolted awake, before fumbling with the seatbelt and hit his head on the way out of the car and nearly tangled up in the seatbelt and she laughed at him. “Yeah, yeah laugh it up, night asshole.” He flipped her off with his good hand.

“Night buddy.” She grinned as he got in and she drove away.

The ride back was through some of the rougher parts of the city and she contemplated using her portals to make the ride shorter. But had she done that, she wouldn’t have seen a mugging in process. Attempted mugging, very attempted.

The mugged man was noticeable in a crowd, kinda short, hair a reddish-brown and pretty pale skin, boxing and fending off the two men with his bag and fists. After lowering her window, she opened a portal under the two men and dropped them from a reasonable height, making the mugged man jolt back and hiss out, “Holy SHIT.”

He looked around before deciding it was best to take his shit and haul ass as she snickered from her car and waited until he left. She’s certain he’s suspicious of her car but left awfully quick as she took out her phone.

_“911 what’s your emergency?”_

“Hi, I saw a mugging happen but the mugged guy got away and now the muggers are like, down or whatever, maybe send in someone to arrest them anyway?” She explained, rather mischievously she caught herself act and was met with silence.

 _“Of course ma’m.”_ The operator was unnaturally calm, which made it funnier in her opinion and she could barely contain a laugh as the operator asked for her current location. With that said and done, she drove home and noted how great it feels to finally be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ganymedeproton.tumblr.com 


	4. A Different Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael's mugged as Lindsay snoops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT I HOPE YOU LIKE MORE PLOT BS

Lindsay’s day of superhero-ing can be considered over. Some wounds are pretty much enough to call it quits.

No she’s private now, private investigator for some people who come meet her in little cafés and diners, or maybe fancy restaurants if they’re worth it. Or to herself, some little detective work that some of the heroes like Gavin or Meg have little to no time for. She’s the one who’s on it. Its enjoyable and usually she’s not in any harm.

Being psychic does help, but it kinda sucks when she gets a block. For one thing it means that whoever the three had a scuffle with the other day know their _shit_ and that’s bad for them. For another reason, it means they won’t be so easy to find.

She read Gavin, Griffon and Burnie’s minds, seeing the events replay in her mind from their mind and remembering details. She can be sure that Burnie’s right, the tech’s based on a prominent couple of rogues. One who she read can make a maximum of two portals and another who can shoot lasers out of his eye and that’s the least of his known abilities. Who they are is unknown, even on their official holding files, but they’re escaped now, for who knows how long (it’s another institute that Gavin had nothing to do with).

She gets out and gets ready for a long drive, for pictures of them anything but doesn’t make it out for that long when she can hear a struggle.

It was pretty far for normal hearing standards, Lindsay would’ve missed it if it weren’t for heightened senses, but she can hear the mental “okays” or “shit”, brief words one  thinks of in a fight. She realizes that _one_ of the voices is familiar. Her good ole neighbor Michael Jones.

She hustles a little faster, Michael can take care of himself but it’s good to still help. _“Oh shit.”_ Came from Michael and no way that’s anything good.

She can hear a wallop from an alley and follows it, hearing metal clang on the ground. When she rounds the corner to the alley, there was a trash can bin on the ground and two people locked in a hold. One was Michael, his back facing Lindsay, making sure the guy doesn’t stab him with a knife and the other the mugger, hiding his identity with a hoodie. The mugger saw her and she heard him think _“Shit”_ this time and Michael seems to see his short distracted look and took advantage of it, headbutting the mugger square in the jaw and knocking him back a bit and she heard Michael physically wince, with the knife edging close to his shoulder.

The mugger came at Michael again but seeing Lindsay he turned tail and ran.

Probably _also_ because Lindsay also warned him in his mind.

Michael sighed and looked at the guy’s retreating form before wincing and starting gripping his left shoulder. Before Lindsay could announce her presence, Michael turned around and actually screamed and jumped back before cursing at Lindsay and almost losing his footing.

“I was about to call 911 but then you uh…” Lindsay jolted her head forward, reminding Michael about the headbutt and Michael raised a hand to his forehead with a pout. “Is your shoulder fine? It’s kind of bleeding in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Stings a little but I’ll be fine.” Michael winced. “I think it’s just a tiny little cut.” She doubts Michael’s underestimating.

Now that the dangers out of the way, she refrains from dwelling on other’s minds, it’s rude and who knows if she’ll run into another psychic who happens to be meaner than her. No, she knows this because she knows Michael, late night movies with her neighbor, bumping into each other on their way to work or nights in the laundry room and nights in the recycling room and in those spaces they tell each other about themselves and that’s how they’re best friends, simple as that. She knows Michael is serious because growing up for him hasn’t been easy.

“Where are you off to this late?” Michael asks as he straightened his back to stretch it and winced at his shoulder and Lindsay gave him a concerned look. “Its fine it’s probably like a papercut or something.”

“Still you should fix it…”

“I’ll do that as soon as I know where you’re going man.” Of course she can’t tell, but she really doesn’t feel like lying to Michael. But she has to say _something_ so she opens her mouth and- “Whatever man its fine, just make sure I don’t have to write about your discovery next morning.”

What was she so tense about? It’s Michael, its chill. “Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.” She assured, “Wanna grab breakfast tomorrow?”

“Dude hell yes.” Michael shuffles the weight of his bag a bit and Lindsay glares pointedly at his shoulder. “Yeah, yeah I’ll take care of it. You take care wherever you go, alright?”

“Deal.” She smiles and the two walk out the alley, talking about the past couple of days and anything that comes in mind before splitting at the end and saying their farewells that convey “good night” “stay safe” and “fuck you lmao” in a short bunch of words.

Where was she again? Right she was about to visit the duo’s old doctor, same guy helping Caleb. He should be awake for some questions by now considering he’s probably at some bar.

* * *

 

_“This is a bit hard for me.”_ Kdin informed her as Lindsay clinked a mocktail to Kdin’s martini glass, caught him off guard since he was too focused on speaking with his mind. _“Isn’t this hard for you?”_

_“Yeah but only when it’s something as intense as a fight and the larger the group, it’s hard. This is easy, just you, me and me drinking a bit.”_ Just to prove her point, she sipped the drink, noting the minty taste.

_“Besides you should’ve called me or something. Or meet up somewhere and sometime better. I’m sure Burnie will understand!”_ Lindsay gave him a pointed look and Kdin rolled his eyes. _“I’m sure he’ll understand.”_

_“Just, what can you tell us about those two?”_ Lindsay asked as she leaned on the bar. The club on weekday nights was mellower, no events playing so it’s just music and some show lights. There weren’t a lot of people either. They put those speakers to good use though, the mellow songs were blaring around her. _“They’re not your patients anymore right? So you can’t give me that patient-doctor confidentiality thing.”_

_“I know that. But there really isn’t much to talk about.”_ Lindsay focused solely on Kdin now, just to double check him. _“You can go and sift through my head, I only had them for a while and I never even got their names before they were moved to that prison.”_

Lindsay looked at Kdin like she wanted to remind him that she can’t do that, that’s her limit. She can only see what’s presently being dredged up by the mind, and most of the time its more than enough. Kdin’s dredging up times with them, he never got their names, he never saw them, just their silhouette’s as they talked through a phone. She can see Kdin’s anger at being blocked off from helping those two by people who only want the verdict that these two need to be locked up in a prison made just for people like them. _“There was so many of… people like you and that girl and that guy and no one wants them around. I want to help them, but the people around me don’t want that, even those two to an extent.”_

_“Can you tell what else happened to them?”_ Lindsay somberly asked. It’s rare for someone like Kdin to exist. Sure lots of people think that people like Lindsay are just as human too. But for someone who can do something, a doctor like Kdin, to want to help people like them? That was rare.

_“They got sent to jail, duh.”_ She gave Kdin a break so he can take another sip and refresh, the memories retreating.   _“Sounds like they broke out, of course they’re keeping quiet about it, can you imagine the panic if word got out that two, definitely powerful and probably vengeful individuals got out?”_

So they got out of jail and started turning from petty crime to high stakes highway robbery (okay _maybe_ robbing a museum of its display jewels isn’t petty but it’s a strange turn from stealing from something public and stealing from something private). They have crazy strong powers, one of them is even unknown, and they operate here in her city.

_“Is that it from Detective Lindsay?”_ Kdin quipped in his mind, forgetting Lindsay is still in it and gasped. _“Shit.”_

_“Yeah that’s it from detective Lindsay.”_ She joked back. _“Did they always treat people like us like the way they treated those two.”_

_“Usually when their power is of some interest. The girl, she could make portals out of the blue, it was just two at the time but imagine now. And then there’s the guy, back then we just identified the fact he has night vision, but it was clear that other powers were budding, or they were already there and he just wasn’t letting us know.”_

_“I saw Burnie, they’re tougher now.”_

_“See?”_ Kdin’s simple thought allowed him to chug his remaining drink.

_“Thanks for this Kdin. Shame I still don’t know who to look for, but it’s good to know my enemy a bit.”_

_“Enemy’s kind of harsh isn’t it?”_

_“They’re misguided, I know that but for now they’re against us. And we have to make sure no one gets hurt when they’re out there doing whatever.”_ Lindsay breaks the link of course and Lindsay can see that Kdin’s a little relieved, it’s probably a burden for him to maintain and Lindsay’s sorry but it’s kind of necessary. “This is probably all I’m getting tonight, I better head home.”

“Yeah… Alright…” Kdin nodded. “Lindsay? Take care okay? I think it’s bigger than what we think.” He added as she took out her wallet and put some cash in front of Kdin.

“I think so too. That’s why I need to know as much as I can to help the others.”

Lindsay walks out but she can feel Kdin’s concern on the back of her neck. She doesn’t blame him as old memories of her own dredge up.

 

_“What’s going on? Why do **I** have a headache?”_

_“Lindsay calm down you’re hurt and-“_

_“Kdin what happened to me?”_

_“It was bad alright, I’m sorry.”_

_“Kdin.”_

_“You have to quit it.”_

_"Kdin just tell me."_

_"You... You got hurt real bad. We don't know the effect but I'm pretty sure that... some of your powers are gone. I'm here for you to-"_

_"Get out."_

_"Lindsay I have to-"_

_"Get out! Get the fuck out! Fuck off and please leave me alone Kdin."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like valve in the sense that they can't release 3rd sequels and I can't crap out chapter 4 for any fanfic I made. Anyway hopefully next chapter comes out sooner and less plot and more relationship?

**Author's Note:**

> ganymedeproton.tumblr.com talk to me abt stuff there thank you for reading!


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